England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
